Aston Martin confirm F1 will not be early priority for former McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh

Aston Martin

Aston Martin confirm F1 will not be early priority for former McLaren boss Whitmarsh

Martin Whitmarsh starts work with the team on October 1

Ian Parkes

Thursday 30 September 2021 14:30

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Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer does not believe the arrival of former McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh will impact too heavily on his running of the F1 team - at first.

Owner Lawrence Stroll has hired Whitmarsh as Group CEO of the newly-created Performance Technologies division that incorporates F1.

Whitmarsh, who starts his role on October 1, will primarily oversee the development, application and taking to market of the group’s technical capabilities and intellectual property.

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But Stroll confirmed that part of Whitmarsh's remit will be "the crucial objective of leading the transformation of Aston Martin into a world championship-winning organisation within the next four to five years".

Szafnauer will have to report to Whitmarsh, although asked if he felt the F1 side of the business would be left to his care, he replied: "That stuff hasn't been planned yet so we will see how it goes."

Confirming he is to remain as team principal and CEO, Szafnauer added: "Martin will be Group CEO, with the Formula 1 side running through him.

"I guess the only thing that hasn't been planned is how much of his time he spends on each one of the entities because he has the entire group.

"I would imagine at the beginning most of his time will be spent growing the Aston Martin Performance Technologies area which is where his most recent expertise lies, and not focus so much on Formula 1.

"But the bit that hasn't been planned is how much of his time will be spent where."

Aston Martin given "shortcut" with Whitmarsh appointment

Whitmarsh, who spent 25 years with McLaren from 1989 through to 2014, has most recently been chairman of BAR Technologies that is focused on bringing innovative solutions to enhance the efficiency of marine products and reduce carbon emissions, as well as chairman of the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership.

Szafnauer has no doubt Whitmarsh's arrival will provide Aston Martin with a crucial lever into progressing Performance Technologies, which will be utilising the IP and developments of F1 and applying them to other industries.

"Martin was there at McLaren doing that so he has that experience and he can lead us to shortcuts in doing that," added Szafnauer.

"He's also had seven years now of boat-racing experience, including starting a new company that is taking technologies from boat racing and moving that technology into cargo ships.

"It's an applied technology type business, technology transfer, he has good experience of that and he will help us shortcut the development of our performance technologies business."